Governor Sarah Palin endorsed Donald Trump on Tuesday at a campaign event in Ames, Iowa. Trump and Sen. Ted Cruz have been running neck and neck in recent Iowa polls. Evangelicals make up a significant majority of Iowa voters.

Palin’s endorsement could be the determining factor for Iowans who head to caucus in eleven short days on February 1st. A loss in Iowa could suck enough wind out of Trump’s sails to dampen his momentum and effect other contests.

Many commentators will tell you that Palin’s endorsement of Trump is only important to Iowa, but in fact it is about much more than that. Recent data shows that Cruz and Trump are running either one or two in several other states.

With Cruz doubtless currently attracting a plurality of evangelical voters, Palin’s endorsement could prove to be influential down the line.

Unlike several other candidates, Cruz is running a nationwide campaign. He has money in the bank, and organized supporters across the country.

Cruz is within striking distance of Trump in many contests beyond Iowa. An Iowa victory could turn Cruz into a very competitive challenger against Trump.

State

Trump

Cruz

Poll

Arkansas

33%

20%

Overtime Politics (12/23/15)

California

23%

25%

The Field Poll (1/3/16)

Georgia

33%

23%

Opinion Savvy (1/17/16

Iowa

28%

26%

Public Policy Polling (1/10/16)

Maryland

32%

15%

Gonzales Research (1/16/16)

Missouri

36%

24%

Overtime Politics (12/31/15)

Nevada

33%

20%

Gravis Marketing (12/27/15)

North Carolina

38%

16%

Public Policy Polling (1/19/16)

Oklahoma

32%

28%

Overtime Politics (12/29/15)

South Carolina

32%

18%

Opinion Savvy (1/15/16)

Tennessee

34%

26%

Overtime Politics (12/23/15)

Texas

31%

27%

Overtime Politics (12/19/15)

Utah

17%

18%

SurveyUSA (1/13/16)

Virginia

28%

19%

Overtime Politics (1/7/16)

The longer it takes Trump to amass delegates, the more an opportunity may arise for Republican party leadership to consolidate around one candidate. Bush, Christie, Kasich, and Rubio are currently controlling over 40% of Republican primary voters in New Hampshire.

There will be intense pressure from GOP operatives for a number of them to drop out of the field by mid February.

Palin no doubt has great affection for both Cruz and Trump. Just last month she told Newsmax that a choice between those two candidates would be "a great problem to have."

With this endorsement, Palin now obviously believes that maintaining that choice is too great of a risk to take. She has put her finger on the scale to further tip the odds in Trump’s favor, perhaps determined to see that one of her preferred candidates will indeed secure the nomination.